PUBLIC OPINION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2557, 19 July 1909, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

A CLUB AND ITS OPPONENTS. Possibly the promoters of Tattersall’s Club would bo grateful for a liquor charter, but it must be credited to them that they have not yet applied for one. Gentlemen opposed to licenses and to gambling seemed to be under an impression that the founders of the club were exerting themselves to'secure a charter, and determined to “get in ‘.early” with a protest. The ActingPremier, tho Hon. J. Carroll, assured the deputation the other day that the club had not yet asked for a charter, and in any. case the Government would not depart from its decision to grant oio more charters to clubs. That roll solution, which was the sequel to a - lively controversy a few years ago, was wise, and it is satisfactory to hear that the Ministry is still firm in the matter. But what evidence, did the deputation have about tho intentions or policy of the club men ? By the assumption that the promoters were striving for a charter, an injustice may have been done to them. In the other matter, gambling, broached by the deputation, the members spoke so strongly that they would necessarily lead the public to believe that they “know something.” How far have they X-rayed the heads of the clubmen? The Rev. J. J. North and other speakers hinted a strong belief that the club would he the happy “punting” ground of the "‘ambler, a cosy parlor for the bookmaking spider to spread his nets for guileless lies. At present the Government, apparently, lias not sufficient evidence before it to interfere with the promoters of “Tattcrsall’s.” Mr Carroll said he did not know whether the Government could interfere with any section of the community unless the members put themselves in a position in regard to gambling which would claim the attention of the authorities. He implied a promise that if the olub was found to be infringing the letter or spirit of the antigamblig laws, the Government would not stand idly by and see its own laws reduced to an absurdity.—Wellington “Post.” THE LAND. No better example of the- hideous jumble which frequently results could be cited than the individual opinions of the present Government of New Zea land on the vital question of the land. When , Sir Joseph Ward “nailed his colors to the mast’’’ on the Land Bill of three' years ago we thought him a staunch leaseholder. Since ho hauled it down (after declaring! that his Ministry would stake its existence upon" the Bill), it is hard to say what lie is. Mr Hogg, who a few days ago •was a Minister, is a land nationalise! - , Mr Fowlds is a single taxer, Mr T. f Mackenzie is a freeholder, Mr Buddo f is a leaseholder, Mr Carroll is “taihoa” on this question as he is on everything else, Mr Ngata is in no hurry to open up native lands. What possible unanimity, what .possible chance of a vigorous and clearly defined land policy, can wo have with such conflicting 1 elements? —Wanganui “Herald.”' UNION RATES. The City Council would he grossly unjust to the ratepayers if they attempted to make work for unemployed at union wages, and apart from its injustice, such a policy would spell civic bankruptcy if it were persisted in. "When there is a real distress owing to want of work, then in order to avert* destitution humanity suggests that the ratepayers should, through the CityCouncil, provide a certain amount of relief work to tide over a period of depression. But unless the wages are such as to offer an inducement to the men taken on to seek private employment at the earliest possible moment, the policy will break down from want of funds to carry it on, and it will intensify the evils it is intended to cure.—Christchurch “Press.” FREE SCHOOL BOOKS. ’Our system of forcing children, to read too early is, we think, responsible for the immense amount of. trashy, lethargic, and mind-benumbing reading ’ indulged in by adults who have, been educated under our vaunted .universal system of State education. The reading ofi our badly educated millions is not a stimulant to their intellectual powers, but rather an opiate. The real practical result of modern education is plenty of book-readers, and very few thinkers. We want a system that will produce just as many thinkers as readers. It has been said that good books should bo chewed. Our primary education does not supply the teeth. Moreover, speaking literally, early reading is fast spoiling the eyes of the race. For coming generations instruments like , the grama.phone and cinematograph ''j - will to a large extent take the place of ■ books as suppliers of information and amusement. Why, then, force the unwilling child to learn so early an art which it will soon be mere traditional superstition to call the main gateway to knowledge?—“Tuapeka Times.” DYNAMITE~FOR EDUCATION. Education is a national and not a local necessity; and to throw upon lo- " calities the responsibility* of providing any large share of the cost of education must mean the creation of great diflfeTences in the. results, in _tbe more andi less wealthy localities. Under the present system the cost of the whole is very fairly distributed over the- country, and the results are also fairly equal. Adopt Mr Fowlds’fl idea, and neither of these equables could be realised. It is hard to see why the department or tho Minister should be worried about the., finance. Perhaps they are throwing this idea into: the air to distract at-; tention from the syllabus and the costly technical schools which have been a source of real worry, because they are the department’s own creation, and have been criticised all over the Dominion.—Timaru “Herald.” ARBITRATION. One cannot but begin to think that the Arbitration Court has been the greatest enemy to .Labor that has ever l>een devised. It as not suitable to a young country where there are few settled industries, and work in any of S’ them of a more or less fluctuating cha-. |/, racter. It lessens working men’s op- \ portunities and compels employers, or would-be employers, to limit their enterprise. It doe 3 not-work beneficially - i liven when there, is., a rush of work. the rush is over.it. is absolutely .• - ■/disastrous to the -workers The .Do-. minion is-'fairly prosperous, -and yet*' ; : \ .there are -hundreds of unemployed and much talk of relief work.: No doubt the present-distress ~will be got over by the efforts of the Government and the work afforded by local bodies, but these expedients are only temporary, and it ' is time the unionists discussed the position with a view of putting Labor matters on a more, wholesome footing, and restoring to workers and employers alike some of the freedom which has ' - been, t'lken -from them.—Wa’rarapa “News.” : - ' k .. .. '

THOSE MARRIAGE AGENCIES.

The State Parliament in Victoria is at last about to take steps to suppress the nuisance of professional marriage agencies. Melbourne has been for years afflicted with those means of wedding tin haste and repenting at leisiiro. So much we, in substance, learn from a recent Press Association qable message. The agent simply constituted himself a “minister,” arid got a few of his friends and acquaintances to sign a paper “recognising” him. as the “head” of their sect. He was then empowered by the State to solemnise marriage, and forthwith advertised himself ready and willing to come to tho aid of loving couples at “.cut” .rates-—gold ring included. The. abuses to which such business agencies lent themselves may readily ■be imagined. The scandals in connection with thorn were ventilated full many a time and oft in the Divorce Court —they ended- at times in the Yarra and the morgue. And the ending of them has been too long delayed. —“New Zealand Tablet.” IMPROVED (SETTLEMENTS. Hundreds of men are leaving the Dominion to look for land in other parts of the world. Thousands of optional holdings are unsurveyed and unallotted which would be now occupied and productive had the Government done its duty. Hundreds of thousands of acres are growing nothing but noxious weeds which might easily he growing meat and butter and making profitable employment for city workers. Taxes are .increasing, the finances are troubling us, employment is slack, yet no adequate attempt is made to tap the looked-up lands and to release from them the incalculable wealth which would transform the situation. Mr Buddo has assured us that 195,000 acres will be opened in July; but it turns out that over 1.60,000 acres are. rough sheep country, and that much of the rest is inferior. Now Mr Buddo assures us that the Government is determined upon a vigorous settlement policy to absorb the unemployed, and promises 400 unimproved farm settlement holdings, “as soon as matters can be arranged.” This is only throwing dust into the eyes of the public, and thereby staving off the final solution. The opening of a few mountain tops upon pastoral lease is not settlement; nor are the surveying of a few improved farm holdings, nor the offer of leaseholds under Maori landlords. What is wanted is the opening of at least a Million Acres under optional tenure, so that the settlers who want freehold, as well as the settlers who can be induced to accept leasehold, may be satisfied to remain _ in New Zealand and not forced to emigrate,' as they are emigrating now; and so that employment may be provided not for a few despondent men at uncongenial settlement work, under State superintendence, but for every born settler under his own free guidance, and for the thousands of men. who, when prosperity is regained by increased production, will have abundant work at their own special avocation. And only when men work at what they can do best can they obtain the high, wages which are the surest evidence of civilisation and prosperity.—New Zealand “Herald.”